I tried making a handprint for Veronika when she was just home from the hospital, and quickly realized why my attempt was so difficult – newborns keep those fists curled up tight!

At two months old, you should be able to capture the size of those tiny fingers, now that your little one is keeping his or her fingers open. Veronika seemed to love the process behind this, her first little art project.

You can make the prints on almost any surface you choose. I used a small canvas from the craft store and a blank tea mug. Regular watercolor paper would work just fine, too! Make sure you are set up with all your supplies before you begin. You’ll need a safe, water-based paint, a paintbrush, and a pack of wipes ready to go for cleanup!

I started with the feet, since that would involve less mess, tickling Veronika’s toes with the brush and then pressing gently against the canvas and the mug.

We cleaned her foot off, then applied a coat of paint to one little hand. It was still a bit difficult to press her finger flat, and do so without her moving it side to side, so the hand prints were a bit smeared.

But we still captured the adorable tiny size of her hands and feet at this age.

This is sure to become a precious memento. Don’t forget to add baby’s name and date!